Better, But Not Great...

So I'm more on top of things this week than I was last week, I have one assignment for Thursday completed and submitted. I have all of the reading done for the assignment that is due Wednesday, and then I have another writing assignment to take care of for Thursday, but it is more about me and less about what I know.

I'm kind of embarrassed to admit this, but I kind of feel like I have to. I participated in one of the most lonely and sorry events ever tonight. I barbecued for one. I just can't justify cooking a hamburger on the stove when I can use the grill. So yeah, it was just me out there on the patio cooking my lonely burger. But it was GOOD! Now I'm having a frozen Apple Juice juice box, which I forgot what an awesome treat that is! Yum! So there you go. That's what's new with me right now...

Too Long

It's been too long since I last posted. I don't like not having the time to post, because it's kind of like therapy for me. It gives me the chance to review what's going on with me (boring or not) and actually think about what's going on. And reflect a little bit. So I've been really busy, between my internship (which I LOVE!), classes, homework, traveling to New Orleans, and doing regular daily activities, I hardly have time to walk Annie or make dinner. But I've decided that I'm going to start scheduling 2 hours per week day for school work, 3 hours per day on weekends, and hopefully that will keep me up with my classwork, and make making time a little bit easier. And then next week I can add in running, and then from there move on.

I have to take a moment and address the fact that I got some sad news today. Months ago I read about Jason on To Whom it May Concern. Most of you know that I have a special interest in cancer, and I read Jason's story and began to follow his blog. I've been on the front row for the ups and downs of his most recent battle with medulloblastoma, and learned today that he passed away earlier this week. I never met him, but was saddened by the loss of a strong, courageous, and determined young man. His story is truly amazing, and his strength should be an example to us all. I hope that he meets Em and that they continue to bring silliness and laughter to everyone they encounter.

The photo is of a yard on the next street over from me the day after Gustav. Holy Shit!

Good Neighbors

I've been relying on C&A's internets for the past week or so, and it has been frustrating to say the least. Yesterday I thought my head might explode because I had a paper due today and was unable to do research from my computer and had been unable to use the library this weekend because it was closed. When I got home yesterday afternoon, I saw my neighbor, Coach B. raking my leaves and branches that the clean-up crews had left scattered all over the street in front of and along side of my house. It was something that I was going to get to, but hadn't had the time to do yet. Thank you, Coach B., for raking my leaves and branches. Makes me think he read JK's Pay It Forward post earlier this week and decided to show some love in my direction. This evening I saw my other neighbor out on his front porch, and I asked him about his wireless. He connected me to his wireless and I am back in action. FROM MY VERY OWN COUCH! Oh my goodness, I don't know if he is able to realize how much this has soothed my nerves. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. There are definitely some cookies and brownies in these neighbors near future. So. Here's a picture from the storm...that's the tree that fell on my roof. I will post some more at a later date.

Uber Hectic

Still feeling lost without internet. Might have to start a support group or something about this.

Hectic

I'm feeling very hectic of late. School got all thrown off, and now I feel like I'm behind. I have a short paper due on Wednesday, which I went to the library to do some research and to meet with a group for some other research last night, and the ding-dang library was CLOSED! What?!?!?! So today on my way home from my internship I stopped at the public library and checked out a book. Nevermind that the computers you use to look things up at the public library are impossible to figure out. I may as well have used a card catalog, but those aren't used anymore. I think it definitely would have been way easier.

So yeah, I should be working on those other things, but figured I'd go ahead and say yo, what's up out there? I still don't have internet, cable, or telephone.... which may be a good thing because I can't waste time, but it makes internet researching rather difficult. Sigh.

Mr. Anxious Considers a Pint

What's Shakin'

Today was a pretty unproductive day. Aside from completing the Motley Crue book, I did a little bit of reading for school, and am now watching the LSU game down the block at C&A's. And yes, soaking up their internets and cable. I'm finding the reading for one of my classes very interesting, which is a good thing. This chapter is all about biological development and stuff, which is something I'm always interested in and never tired of reading about. Hopefully the rest of the semester will be just as riveting.

Tomorrow I'm going to do some more school reading and then meet up with my group for my research class in the evening. Kinda hate having to go to school on a Sunday, but what can you do? Perhaps my internets will be working when I get back. That would be nice, but not very likely. Alright, that's about it. Later.

Motley Crue

Ike

Life has progressed on its usual schedule over the past few days, I've been in class all day Wednesday and Thursday and returned to my internship this morning. There was still no power, and the morale was kind of low so they sent everyone except the management home. I was more than happy to stay, but headed home to do stuff. My laundry room looks SO GOOD! It is officially clean, clean, clean! Ike has been stirring things up since sometime in the middle of last night... I woke up due to the wind, and it's been windy all day, but nothing major. I'm at Red Star now, soaking up the internets and a beer or two before I head home to continue reading the Motley Crue biography before I settle into bed. I miss being able to use the internets whenever I want, but it's been a lesson in patience and cleaning. More later.

Yeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!

Oh my goodness, I got home from day 2 of internship today to find the dining room lights on! I’ve got the power! Power to the people! Yes, things are back to semi-normal now. My internets are still down, so I’ll head down the block to C & A’s to post this in a bit, but for now I’m just soaking up the sound of the TV and the coolness of the AC. School starts back tomorrow morning, and I’m excited to be able to set my alarm clock and get on with things. It’s been a challenge, but not near the challenge of some of the families in my neighborhood who wound up with trees down the center of their homes. This is so exciting! Yea!

Holy Shit!

It's Monday! I still don't have power! Annie just called to say that they got power, which YEA! that means it's getting closer and closer, it just needs to go a wee bit closer. Like really, it's right across the way, but not at home yet. So I'm back at the Red Star, having myself a cold beer after my first day at my internship. There's no power at the office there either, so it was an interesting day. It may have been a good thing, because since there wasn't electricity, most everyone had free time to show me stuff and how things worked. I made some phone calls and didn't freak out about it, so that is good. I'm just hoping hoping hoping that when I get home in a little bit the dining room light will be on.

It's been an interesting run to say the least. I've probably had more to drink in the past week than I would have in the span of a normal month. There's not much to do except relax with a cold beer when you don't have power and will probably go to bed at 8:00. All I can say is at least it's been cool. My parents got their electricity back yesterday and I went over there to do some laundry, and when I got home it was UNBEARABLE. Amazing how a few hours of AC can spoil you so badly! It rained this afternoon, so it's cooled down a bit. Last night was the first night I actually had a hard time getting to sleep, even with the aid of the Motley Crue biography to lure me into a peaceful slumber. But that may have also had something to do with first day jitters about today. All went well, and I look forward to things getting back to normal. Like Yesterday.

Update

Still no power or internets, but I cleaned up the kitchen today. The weather was nice and cool and all is as well as can be. Annie is behaving herself, and so is Annie the person, who was kind enough to drive me to Red Star to borrow internets and such... WE out!

Dang!

If that rude house guest didn't blow into town and throw a limb on my roof, creating a nice sized hole and a steady leak that resulted in the ceiling falling in. He also ripped down my power lines and has left me without access to electricity for the past few days. As I type I'm poaching internets and electricity from a local watering hole, where they have been kind enough to let me set up shop. Lots to blog about, but not a lot of access to blogging. So I'm going to just give you this little update and hopefully soon I will be able to update from the comfort of my very own home. Pictures and stuff to follow in the near future.

PS:

For those of you who have asked, MY SISTER has started blogging again. Thanks Gustav!

Long Time No Post...

Yeah, so I guess I've been a little bit preoccupied with school starting and a friend coming in from Cuba. Yes, my friend Gustav has decided to visit Louisiana! I'll go ahead and say that school completely wore me out last week. It is definitely going to take some getting used to to have 2 3-hour classes in a row, twice a week. I have a hard time sitting through a television program, much less a lecture... but I'm sure that I will adjust. I also have decided that if it isn't raining, I MUST ride my bike to school. It's not too far, it's just that I have to carry my backpack with me, and in the morning that includes at least 2 liters of water and lunch weighing things down. And my backpack is black. And it's over 80 degrees even at 7:50 AM. So yeah, that's that. Classes seem like they should be interesting, and there's a lot of collaboration, and through skills labs and orientations, I've gotten to know quite a few peoples' names and faces, which makes things less anxiety inducing.

On to Gustav. I began preparing on Friday, collecting an ice chest and household items for people who may take shelter at my house. Guess what? It's just me and Mystery Guest. I know I'm being selfish and my concern may really be that I would feel better if they were here because I would know where they were, but I'm REALLY WORRIED about my friends who have decided to stay in New Orleans. I'm not doubting their ability to ride out a storm, but I am doubting that if anything happens there will be anyone other than themselves to help them. No emergency services. No 911. No emergency shelters. You get arrested if you're caught off of your own property and get shipped to Angola. On one hand I can imagine that it must be hard to convince yourself to evacuate again so soon after Katrina, but on the other hand, I worry. I worry about the mayor's evacuation orders and the fact that he has basically said that if you stay you're on your own. No businesses are open, what if it floods and water and food start to dwindle? I've got to stop thinking about it.

So I'm listening to CNN, watching the trees bend and hearing them blow in the wind. I worry that a tree might fall on Joan, but I really feel quite safe over here. We lost power for about a minute earlier today, but it's back on and so far so good. It's early still though, so I'm gonna hunker down with my dog and my mystery guest and watch me some weather. Image from CNN